...and all the TE have done ever since is complain about it (although presumably they haven't complained about the millions of $$$ the films have brought in to fill the TE's coffers right?). It just seems a tad hypocritical to so publicly berate an excellent series of films that have increased Tolkien's works popularity 100x fold and guaranteed the TE's financial security for generations to come. If CT hates the films so much then why doesn't he stick to his convictions and just give away all the money he's made of the back of them? Or go even further and publicly criticise his father for selling the rights in the first place?

You can't blame fans of Tolkien's work (like PJ and co) for attempting to adapt his work if they can, and as far as I know there wasn't nearly as much criticism towards the 70's animated versions. "A single dream is more powerful than a thousand realities."